Author: Eauxps I. Fourgott

[Season 6] Week 3 Roundup

Posted on by Eauxps I. Fourgott

Bombers 4, Yankees 1

A Yankees team on a hot streak cooled down quickly upon returning to Casa de Pablo. The team only got 10 hits total on the game, nothing better than a double, and a good portion of those hits were actually fielder’s choices, leading to them only being able to score 2 runs on the game. Meanwhile, the Bombers stayed consistent, putting up 4 runs for the second game in a row, and that was all they needed to collect the win once again. 13 of their 14 hits were singles with just a solo home run to break up the monotony, but the Bombers were less prone to fielder’s choices and the extra hits helped make the difference in a low-scoring matchup. The win leaves Baltimore alone on top of the NL Central after the initial division series, with a 3-0 record despite tying for the lowest run total in the division.

Player of the game: Cliff Floyd gets the nod, going 3-for-4 with two singles and the solo home run.

Mariners 6, Tapirs 4

The Tapirs struggled in their first home game, only getting 5 hits off of the stalwart Seattle defense. Three of those five hits were home runs, though, allowing them to stay on the scoreboard regardless. But the Mariners had their breakout game this week, their run total of 7 exceeding their first two games’ combined, to claim their first victory. Like the Tapirs, the Mariners didn’t get a lot of hits outside of a trio of home runs, but they were able to get more, eight singles to Albuquerque’s two, and enough of those hitters were driven in to allow them to maintain the lead even when Dominic Hoskins surrendered a run on the mound. This result ties three of the NL Central’s four teams for last place at 1-2, giving the Bombers a strong position indeed to start out.

Player of the game: The seven runs and three home runs on the Mariners were all evenly spread around the team, but Sally Dobbs accomplished the most with her one of each. She didn’t get any other hits on the game, but her home run drove in three runs, enough to make all the difference in this matchup.

Orioles 23, Melonheads 7

After a strong start to the season, the Melonheads came crashing down this week. A weakened Jane Davis couldn’t accomplish very much, Sidney Webber went 0-for-3 after starting the season 8-for-9, nobody except Rosanna Phelps achieved more than two hits, and Maria Luna gave up her first run of the season on a solo shot by Joella Minotti, all leading to a run differential less than half of the team’s first two. By contrast, the Orioles were absolutely on fire this week, as everybody on the team except for Phil Nevin got at least four hits on the game, leading to a complete smackdown. The O’s didn’t just get on base a lot – they got a lot of extra base hits too, with eight doubles, three triples, and a whopping nine home runs helping to drive them in. The blowout victory puts the O’s at the top of the AL West heap, and if they keep on this hot streak then they’ll be the favorites to win the division.

Player of the game: Ken Griffey, Jr. was at the center of a dominant O’s performance. In addition to proving a consistent thorn in the side of the Melonheads’ offense, he went 4-for-6 on the Orioles’ side, with a triple, and three home runs adding up to 8 RBI.

Angels 14, Cardinals 2

The Cardinals came out with their strongest hitting performance yet this game. Everybody got at least one hit, six of nine hitters got at least two, and as a result both the Cards’ hit and run total exceeded what they had achieved in the first two games combined. But despite recording an impressive 13 strikeouts, Mr. Clanky struggled to contain the Angels’ offense the rest of the time, giving up ten hits and four runs to mostly whittle away the Cards’ total. Meanwhile, hungry for a win, the Angels fired on all cylinders on this matchup to also record their best game yet. Other than Jose Meisenheimer and Chad Koppel, who combined for three hits, each player on the Angels recorded at least three, and their 14 total extra-base hits compared to just 5 in the first two games seemed to make the difference in allowing the team to put up a high score – in fact, their run total of 17 is the best score achieved by a Frontyard League team so far this season! That win gets the Angels out of the basement and reins in the Cardinals, leaving the NL East teams all close together as the teams branch out to face those from the other divisions.

Player of the game: Julie Dunkel nets the award despite giving up three runs on the mound – that dubious distinction is outweighed by her 4-for-5 day at the plate, tripling three times, hitting one home run, and scoring all four times while also batting in three runs.

Braves 7, Marlins 7

After a rough second game, the Marlins bounced back in their third outing. They only recorded one less hit in this game than in their first two combined, with every player except Perry Marx getting on at least once, and this week were able to shut out the AI Braves. However, their efficiency wasn’t so good, only scoring 7 runs as 15 runners failed to make it around. The Braves were a total opposite in this regard, only getting 8 hits across the entire game with over half of their players shut out on the game, but scoring all but two of the runners who did get on base. The long ball played a heavy part in their strategy, as half of those hits were home runs, and the combined total was just enough for the multiplier to boost them over the Marlins in the tightest contest of the week. The victory ties the Braves for the division lead, and in a hopeful position given that their run total so far is over double that of their close rivals the Cardinals.

Player of the game: Mikey Thomas went 3-for-3 with a triple, two home runs, and 4 RBI.

Indians 12, Pirates 5

The Pirates played much the same in their third game as they did in the first two. They were solid at getting on base, everybody except Brad Radke getting on at least once, but with their hits mostly consisting of singles their final score was still fairly low. The Indians had their worst game yet this season, actually recording one less total hit than the Pirates in a notable decrease from their first two games, but a total of five home runs from the slugging squad helped them to score more efficiently, only failing to score with 5 runners compared to the Pirates’ 10. That was the big difference in this game, and allowed the Indians to start the season off with a 3-0 record to lead the AL Central, while the Pirates are one of three teams left in the league without a win.

Player of the game: Petra Chekov led the Indians’ efforts by going 3-for-3 with a single, two home runs, and 3 RBI.

Blue Jays 24, Wombats 14

The Jays’ first two scores of the season hadn’t been particularly impressive, but they showed a new side in their first game played away from a sandy field. While attaining four batting powerups was a significant boost to their efforts, they dominated their game nonetheless, as every player got at least two hits, seven players got at least three, and six players got on base at least four times, all adding up to a score that thoroughly trounced their opponent’s effort. For the Wombats’ part, they bounced back fairly well from their crash in Week 2, but didn’t reach the level of their dominance in Opening Week. Everybody on the team got at least one hit, and they had their lowest number of runners fail to score of the season so far, at just six of nineteen, showing that they can still put up a fight as the interdivisional matchups begin. Nevertheless, they’re set back in what could be a tight division race, as the Blue Jays’ win ties them with the Orioles for first place.

Player of the game: Chico Pappas was unstoppable and especially took advantage of the short left-field fence in this game. He went 6-for-6 on the game, with 2 singles, a double, 3 home runs, 5 runs scored, and 8 RBI.

Red Sox 21, Diamondbacks 16

Hoping to get their first win in an unrelenting division, the Diamondbacks put on a truly remarkable display of baserunner efficiency. Everybody got on base at least once, and the team scored 16 runs on the whole – and at the same time managed to have only one runner fail to score the entire game! Four home runs, including three from Sheila Basanti, were undoubtedly helpful in this effort. Unfortunately for the D’Backs, the Red Sox still outdid them – they didn’t reach the same height of efficiency, with eight runners failing to score, but with far more hits, they didn’t need to. The Sox’s effort was boosted by a plethora of extra-base hits, 17 of their 29 hits getting to second base or farther, and with all their players ranging from 2-4 hits, their offensive was rather evenly distributed to help as well. With 6 HRs to Arizona’s 4, the Red Sox outclassed their opponents in every aspect of this game to take their first win of what, with interdivisional matchups on the horizon, they hope to be many.

Player of the game: Pete Wheeler went 4-for-6 with a single, a triple, two home runs, four runs scored, and five RBI.

Monsters 24, Athletics 18

Playing against the second-most dominant team in the league so far, at a home field that doesn’t suit them too well, the Monsters were at their most vulnerable in this game, and the A’s put forth their best effort to beat them. Other than Achmed Khan who had a slump of a game, everybody on the team got at least three hits, and while the team only got one home run compared to 16 in their first two games combined, they still only barely scored lower than they did last week. But it still wasn’t enough to stop the powerhouse Monsters team, even when on their end they put up their weakest performance of the season so far. With everybody except Tom Glass getting on at least twice, though, and the team still scoring 20 runs on the game, it would be a stretch to call this a ‘weak’ game from the Monsters, and their effort was aided by stealing 21 bases off Amir Khan’s weak arm. Their toughest hurdle now overcome, the Monsters sit atop the Division of Doom and appear poised to go to town beating up on the weaker competition from the other divisions.

Player of the game: Ramona Bennett went 4-for-5 with a single, double, two home runs and four runs scored and batted in.

Devil Rays 9, Expos -7

The AI Devil Rays team completed their devastation of the NL West this week with a 6-run smackdown of the Expos. The Expos themselves were able to triple their hit count from their first two games, but with all of those hits coming as singles, they still weren’t able to translate it to run production, and like their division rivals they were unable to stand up to the AI Devil Rays’ offensive. The player-controlled Devil Rays also had a field day this week, putting up their best score so far and exceeding their first two games’ run totals combined. Though they only got a few more hits this week than before and a similar number of extra-base hits, they managed to use their baserunners more efficiently this time, only failing to score with 6 compared to 9 and 8 in the first two weeks. The Devil Rays (and their AI counterparts) are still undefeated and sit atop the NL West, and this stronger performance gives them good prospects as they head out to face the other divisions. Meanwhile, the Expos’ improved performance gives them hope that their breakout game and first win may be coming soon.

Player of the game: Holly Franklin really drove in the runs for Tampa Bay, knocking in 6 of the 10 total runs. She did that on two doubles and a home run, going 3-for-3 on the game.

Rockies 19, Tigers 14

Full stats are unavailable for the Tigers’ side of the matchup, but it is clear that after a rough second week they bounced back to Week 1 form in this game. Unfortunately for them, after a weak opening match and decent second game, the Rockies really came out in full force this week, more than doubling their season hit total and nearly tripling their run total. A change of scenery seemed to help, as this was their first game at their home field and they ramped up their extra-base hits to 16 this game, compared to 4 in the first two games combined. Even with a five-run late penalty, they defeated the Tigers soundly to claim second place in the division. If they keep up this strength, they have the potential to challenge the Indians for the division lead.

Player of the game: Lindsy Felgate hit for the cycle this week, tacking on an extra double as well as she went 5-for-5 on the day. In addition to scoring three runs, she also batted in 9.

Giants -3, Cubs F

The Giants had a rough time of it this week. They were only able to get eight hits, all of them singles, leading to just three runs, and on the mound, Luanne Lui wasn’t able to contain the Cubs’ dynamic offense, giving up five runs and leaving things looking bleak for the Giants. However, they got a reprieve as the Cubs were unable to play this week, and thus forfeited the match. That leaves the Giants’ AI undefeated after three weeks, and gives them the second place position in the division, one game above the Cubs. And some good news: Cubs manager MarcoMcGwire is still around and returned to play in Week 4.

Player of the game: Marilyn McDonnell went 2-for-3 with two singles, a run scored, and an RBI, the best performance of any player on the Giants.

[Season 6] Week 4 Predictions

Posted on by Eauxps I. Fourgott

A’s over Tigers. The Tigers are doing all right, but the A’s are the second-most dominant force in the league and other teams shouldn’t be expected to hold up very well against them.

D’Backs over Wombats. The Wombats battled back some despite their Week 3 loss, but they’ll be facing a Diamondbacks team that’s hungry for their first win as they’ve finally escaped the Division of Doom.

Red Sox over Pirates. The Pirates have the lowest total score of any team in the AL after three weeks, and are the only team remaining not to break 10 runs. Not a good sign when going against the powerhouse Red Sox.

Rockies over Blue Jays. Both teams really popped out last week with their best games yet, leaving this matchup a toss-up. But the Rockies are on more of a prolonged streak of improvement right now, they have a less-intimidating defense in the Jays’ to face, and the Jays admitted that powerups were a big part of their latest big score, so Colorado has the edge here.

Indians over Orioles. Two big-hitting teams square off in this matchup. The O’s are on more of a hot streak and thus could feasibly have the advantage for this game, but a return to Sandy Flats may well dampen their spirits and allow the Indians to continue their streak.

Monsters over Melonheads. The Monsters just proved victorious in what may well have been their toughest matchup of the season. Nobody’s going to stop them now, especially not a Melonheads team that hit a nasty skid last week.

Angels over Mariners. Both teams broke out last week to collect their first wins, but the Angels have consistently been putting up the higher scores, and the Mariners’ defense shouldn’t prove too much of a factor when the Angels’ is just as bad.

Devil Rays over Braves. The Rays just put up their best score yet, and their AI has been unstoppable thus far. The Braves have been pretty good so far, but they’ll really need to pull out all the stops and actually beat the Rays’ AI to have a chance in this one.

Marlins over Bombers. This one is a tough call and will depend on which Marlins team shows up. But the French Fishes’ power-based strategy shouldn’t suffer too much against the Bombers’ defense, and Baltimore has to lose one of these weeks if they don’t up their own scores.

Tapirs over Expos. Albuquerque hasn’t been putting up scores as high as their Opening Week smackdown, but they’ve still done all right and should be fine here unless the Expos have their breakout game this week.

Yankees over Giants. The Yanks had a down game last week, but they should be able to bounce back away from the Casa, even against the fearsome Giants AI.

Cubs over Cardinals. The Cards still haven’t gotten into the swing of putting up high scores yet. If the Cubs actually show up to play, they have the edge for that reason.

[Season 6] Week 3 Predictions

Posted on by Eauxps I. Fourgott

Monsters over A’s. The A’s have been a force in the first two games, but the Monsters’ worse performance is tougher than their better one, and the Monsters have a much scarier defense. It’ll be another romp for Minnesota.

Red Sox over D’backs. A frustrated Red Sox team will be looking to take it out and get their first win, and an also-struggling Diamondbacks squad will be the perfect targets for it.

Tigers over Rockies. Subject to change based on Week 2 results. If the Rockies bounce back in Week 2 then they could well continue that momentum against a Tigers team that suffered a setback this week, but if they stay deflated then they’ll be a good mark for the Tigers to bounce back on.

Indians over Pirates. Defense doesn’t matter as much if you hit it over the fence, and the Indians will look to be proving that in this contest.

Melonheads over Orioles. Both teams swung back after opening losses and will be looking to take a division lead this week. But the Melonheads just came off scoring 17 in the sand and have scored higher than the O’s in both weeks, giving them the edge.

Blue Jays over Wombats. This could go either way depending on what Wombats team shows up. They could lay down the smackdown if in Opening Week form, but be easy prey if in Week 2 form. But meanwhile, the Blue Jays will be playing away from sand for the first time, and we might see a whole new team emerge as a result.

Angels over Cardinals. Despite a 2-0 record, the Cards haven’t really gotten in the groove yet, and have been outscored both weeks by the 0-2 Angels. An Angels team that’s suffered two narrow losses might have some major steam to let off. Could be a rough week for St. Louis.

Braves over Marlins. Two teams facing off that mostly rely on slugging to survive. As long as Lambert continues to show up, though, the Braves should have the edge.

Mariners over Tapirs. The Mariners have had a rough first two weeks, but a softer Tapirs defense should help them to get back into the groove, while their own defense should keep Albuquerque down without much trouble.

Yankees over Bombers. The Yanks’ strong hitters are the perfect counter to the Bombers’ infield. Despite being 2-0, the Bombers haven’t had the most impressive showing yet, and this might be the game where their luck runs out for the first time.

Giants over Cubs. The Cubs looked better in Week 2, but they haven’t really awakened as a dominant force yet. They could do that this week, or the Giants’ imposing AI could send them right back to their Week 1 struggles.

Devil Rays over Expos. The Expos worked on building back in Week 2, but the 2-0 AI Devil Rays could easily bring them crashing right back down and hand another one to Tampa.

[Season 6] Roundup: Week Two

Posted on by Eauxps I. Fourgott

Devil Rays -5, Giants -5

In a contest between two teams whose AI counterparts had both beaten human players in Opening Week, it was a slaughterfest – by those AI teams. Both teams got comparable numbers of hits to their opposition, but couldn’t convert them into enough runs to keep up. Both Marilyn McDonnell and Maya Woodruff on the Giants went 3-for-3, but were stranded by their teammates time and again and couldn’t score, while Luanne Lui gave up 5 runs on the mound. The Devil Rays were doing all right until the AI Giants turned a double play, and then mercilessly barraged them with Crazy Bunt after Crazy Bunt to build a commanding lead. In the end, the Giants lost by only four runs to the Devil Rays’ 5 – but for the first time in league history, the home team modifier made a difference by being applied to an AI team! The AI Devil Rays never got to bat in the sixth inning and so got an extra run tacked on to their 5, sending the contest into a dead tie, and the Devil Rays won this incredibly close matchup thanks to their home team advantage in a wacky ending. They now sit atop the NL West with a 2-0 record.

Player of the game: Ronny Dobbs went 2-for-3 with a single and a triple, batting in two of the Devil Rays’ four runs, then sealed the deal with a 1.3 inning relief stint that gave up no runs and only a single hit, saving the game for his team.

Orioles 12, Wombats 4

After a strong Opening Week performance, the Wombats ran up against a wall while facing the Orioles, getting stymied in a matchup where their runs and hits combined tallied less than their run total in the previous game. Ichiro and Vladimir Guerrero had good days at the plate, but nobody else did, and a total of five strikeouts contributed to the Wombats stranding 9 runners while only scoring 4. On the flip side, the Orioles were able to bounce back quite nicely from their Opening Week loss, nearly doubling their number of hits and drawing an impressive six walks from the Wombats’ pitching staff. Everybody got on base at least twice, and all except Jim Thome scored as well. The O’s proved that they can be competitive, while the Wombats’ future in the division is in much more doubt than it was before this game. Now both 1-1, the teams await the second result from their division to see if there will be a clear leader or if all four teams will be tied after this week.

Player of the game: Isabelle Marelli gets the nod here, going three-for-four with two singles and a grand slam.

A’s 25, D’Backs 9

The Diamondbacks saw a marked improvement from their Opening Week contest, racking up nine more hits and eight more runs in a solid effort. Fred Benson headlined for the team with two singles, two doubles, and three RBI, while everybody on the team got on base at least twice. But their effort was dampened when Chris Milton gave up three runs on the mound, and the A’s went on a second romp almost as effective as their first to annihilate their score. Last week’s star Nomar Garciaparra actually didn’t do so well, hitting just one home run and going 1-for-5, but he was the least successful hitter on the A’s. The A’s improve to 2-0 and are again one of the toughest teams in the league, while the D’Backs are a struggling 0-2 to being the season.

Player of the game: Fellow shortstop Derek Jeter was there to fill Nomar’s shoes, going 5-for-5 with 4 singles, a home run, and 4 each of runs scored and runs batted in.

Bombers 4, Tapirs 3

After a strong start to the season, the Tapirs fizzled in their second game. They only got on base nine times total, less than half of last week’s total, and while Gwen Sears went 3-for-3 including a home run, four other players failed to get on base at all, resulting in a low score on the whole. Meanwhile, the Bombers so far haven’t been the powerhouse that some expected preseason, but they’ve been getting the job done. They scored one less run in this contest, but it came on one more hit and before extra innings, signalling an improvement over last week. Only Jillian Paine failed to get on base, and the resulting team effort was just enough to hand them a narrow victory. The Bombers now sit alone at the top of the NL Central with a 2-0 record.

Player of the game: Peggy Heffernan went 2-for-3 with a single and a double; she really merits this distinction by virtue of having batted in 3 of the Bombers’ 4 runs.

Yankees 9, Mariners -1

The Mariners struggled to score in their second game, only getting one run and then having victory stolen from them by a series of Screaming Linedrives by the AI Yankees. Meanwhile, the player-controlled Yankees stayed consistent, putting forth an effort nearly identical to last week’s – but while 15 hits and 9 runs might not have stood up to the Tapirs’ strong first game, it was enough to win this week’s game with a comfortable margin. Everybody except Arlene Perez contributed at least one hit to give the Yankees their first win of the season.

Player of the game: Yankees holdover Gary Allen gets the nod this week, going 3-for-3 with a single and two doubles and scoring after each of those hits.

Cardinals 2, Marlins -2

Still not in the groove yet, the Cardinals had a quiet day on their end, with a mere six hits resulting in two runs. When, led by Deschenes and his insane speed, the Marlins were up by four after two innings in their livestreamed end of the matchup on Saturday, it looked like the game was already a wrap. But the AI Cardinals struck back, stalling out the Marlins’ hitters and going on their own hitting spree as the game went on. Two runs put the Cards back in contention, a third gave them some insurance, and then, after the Marlins failed to pull off a rally to save the matchup, the AI Cards sealed the deal with a two-run shot by Hillary Vargas to defeat the player-controlled Marlins. That result leaves the Cardinals as the only undefeated team in the NL East despite scoring the least runs of the four, showing that being in the right place at the right time – and avoiding giving up runs to the AI – can matter just as much in some games.

Player of the game: In addition to being the only Cardinal with two hits (a single and a double) and scoring one of their two runs, Mr. Clanky pitched a second consecutive shutout with 10 strikeouts, ensuring no disasters happened on that end and establishing himself as the leading candidate early on for the Ace Wilson.

Braves 7, Angels 6

The Angels may have been a bit demoralized after their close loss to the Marlins. Each player still got on base at least once for them in a solid effort but this time nobody got more than two hits and the team collectively got eight players less on base, even though their final score was only one run worse. On the flip side, the Braves put up a nearly identical effort to their first game: in both games, they recorded 30 at-bats, 14 hits, 8 singles, 3 doubles, 7 runs, 8 strikeouts, and 3 errors! This time, though, they were able to keep the AI Angels down on defense as Randy Johnson pitched an 8-K shutout and turned last week’s +1 into this week’s much better +7. That gives them their first win of the season, while despite their promise the Angels have started the season off with two narrow defeats.

Player of the game: Lance Lambert once again stuck out for the Braves, this time batting 4-for-4 with two singles, a double, a home run, three runs scored, and five RBI.

Melonheads 17, Blue Jays 6

Full stats aren’t available for the Blue Jays, but it is known that they had trouble hitting the ball to places where the Melonheads’ fielders weren’t, giving them trouble and resulting in a weaker showing than they had in Opening Week. Meanwhile, the Melonheads followed up a good effort last week with a better one this time, racking up an extra 7 hits and 4 runs. Everybody except perennial struggle Rosanna Phelps got at least two hits, the team as a whole hit six home runs to boost their effort, and reigning MVP Jane Davis had an appropriate high-caliber game with four extra-base hits – all of this without the aid of powerups this time. This result puts all four teams in the AL West tied with a 1-1 record after two games – it’s the only division with this distinction, and leaves it very much appearing to be anybody’s for the taking. The competition in here could be fierce all season long.

Player of the game: Despite Davis’s strong game, the distinction goes to Maria Luna. She was a bit less impressive at the plate but still strong, 3-for-5 with a single, two home runs, three runs scored, and 4 RBI. To secure the PoTG distinction, she supplemented that with an excellent one-hit shutout on the mound.

Monsters 27, Red Sox 13

Despite getting two more players on base this week than last week, the Red Sox still managed to score five less runs. Only two home runs instead of five no doubt was a contributing factor, as the Monsters’ tough defense ensured that the Sox could only get extra bases on three of their 26 hits. It was still a good showing by the Sox, especially Pete Wheeler, who went 5-for-5 with both of the team’s home runs. But while the Monsters failed to score 50 again, they still scored plenty enough to blow their opposition out of the water. After a game where multiple hitters got 9 hits, one with a high hit count of 5 seemed pathetic by comparison, but it was still enough to easily give the Monsters the highest-scoring game of the week – 28 hits supplemented by 33 stolen bases does tend to be tough to beat. Now 2-0, the Monsters will face fellow division leaders the A’s in a blockbuster matchup for Week 3.

Player of the game: Ramona Bennett led the team with 5 hits – four singles and a double, with four runs scored and 2 RBI.

Indians 15, Tigers 5

The Tigers had a rough game, not helped by a home run by AI Cheryl Reynolds, leading to their second showing producing a much lower score than their first one. The Indians looked a bit worse too thanks to playing at a less hitter-friendly park, but they still did plenty enough to get the job done. Everybody got on base at least once, and a strong 6 home runs kept the offense up even though nobody got more than three hits this week. The Indians now lead the AL Central and are looking to give Crazyei8hts another successful season, while after two very different games, the Tigers’ future is much more in doubt.

Player of the game: Petra Chekov went 3-for-4 – all three of those hits home runs! Those also batted in a total of 7 runs, for nearly half of the Indians’ total.

Cubs 4, Expos -2

After suffering a devastating loss to the Devil Rays in Opening Week, the Expos tightened up on defense and saw a payoff, only giving up two runs to the AI Cubs. Unfortunately, they continued to struggle on offense, only able to achieve three hits and no runs. On the flip side, the Cubs also tightened up on defense, giving up just three runs as opposed to last week’s 6, and their output on offense also went up, getting a few more hitters on base and using their runners more efficiently this game to squeeze in a couple more runs. Everybody on the team except Kenny Kawaguchi contributed at the plate to give the Cubs their first win.

Player of the game: Alicia Blakely went 2-for-4 with a single and a double, but nabs this distinction thanks to having batted in 4 of the Cubs’ 7 runs.

Rockies 10, Pirates 6

The Pirates put forth a similar effort to their Week 1 performance in terms of run scored, but looked weaker on the whole as they got 8 less hits on the game, a pair of home runs helping them to use the hits they did get efficiently. On the other hand, after a rough opening week, the Rockies bounced back for their next game to capture their first win. The team got five more hits on the game, but more impressively were able to draw 6 walks from the Pirates to really get the edge and surge forward in a solid showing where everybody got on base at some point during the game, and prove that they will be able to play competitively this season. Now 0-2 and due to face their division leaders next week, the Pirates’ prospects aren’t looking so good.

Player of the game: Cindy Chang went 2-for-2 with two singles, and later displayed her patience with three walks on the game, getting on base five times total to earn this distinction.

[Season 6] Week Two Predictions

Posted on by Eauxps I. Fourgott

Monsters over Red Sox. The Monsters came out of the gate with a bang, and they shouldn’t be expected to let up against the Red Sox. Whenever the Sox fail to hit one onto the trailer or dumpsters, the Monsters’ fielders will be reeling the balls in quickly, and they may not look so good this game.

A’s over D’Backs. The Diamondbacks should be able to do better this week then their Week One effort, but the A’s showed that they’re playing on a whole different level. The D’Backs just gave up a 50 to the Monsters, so the A’s ought to have a field day as well.

Pirates over Rockies. The Rockies just came off a game where they struggled against the Indians’ defense, and the Pirates’ isn’t likely to give them any easier of a time.

Indians over Tigers. Both teams had a successful opening week. The Indians had a bigger game than the Tigers, but they won’t be playing at home here and that could become a problem. This one could go either way.

Melonheads over Blue Jays. The Jays may struggle more as the Melonheads’ defense is stronger than the Orioles’. The ‘Heads are a team that may have trouble at the sandy Casa, but they were able to get by there during training and have a decent shot.

Wombats over Orioles. The Wombats came out in force against the Melonheads, and there’s no reason to expect that they won’t be even more successful against the Orioles, especially with Ken Griffey Jr. playing at his worst park.

Cardinals over Marlins. The Cards’ first result hasn’t come in yet as of this writing, but their team is solid and the Marlins could struggle at the Paveway, where the long ball won’t be an option.

Angels over Braves. We don’t know how the Braves play yet, but the Angels will be hungry for a win after their close loss in Opening Week and will have the home field advantage.

Bombers over Tapirs. Without the Mariners’ fearsome defense to grapple with, the Bombers should be more effective this week. The same can’t be said for the Tapirs, whose weak-hitting squad is the perfect prety for the Bombers’ infield.

Yankees over Mariners. The Yankees will be glad to get away from the Casa, and they’ll take it out on a Mariners team that might be demoralized after a narrow loss last week.

Cubs over Expos. Predicting between two teams that suffered AI losses in Opening Week is a tough task, but the Cubs’ dynamic offense should help them to rebound better.

Devil Rays over Giants. It’s hard to tell how either team might get an edge over the other here, but the Devil Rays are playing at home and the advantage may well work to their favor.

[Season 6] Roundup: Opening Week

Posted on by Eauxps I. Fourgott

Giants 2, Expos -8

The Expos were still trying to adjust to some of the rules that the BBL has in place, but had a rough time of it this game as they were swept away by the Giants’ AI. Luanne Lui pitched a lockdown performance, as the Expos couldn’t get their timing down and struck out eleven times. The Giants put up a modest effort themselves, with only 11 total bases in 22 at bats, but they didn’t have a very hard target to beat. Four hitters didn’t attain a single hit, but the other five were able to put together a couple of small rallies and get the job done. We expect that both teams will improve over the course of the season, and there should be considerably more fireworks when they face each other again for the final week of the season.

Player of the game: Mike Piazza got two of the Expos’ three hits of the game, but Libby Futterman of the Giants matched him, going 2-for-2 with a pair of singles that batted in three of the Giants’ four runs.

Monsters 50, D’Backs 4

The Monsters wasted no time in asserting themselves as the BBL’s dominant team for this season, recording the first-ever 50 under the Lulu ruleset in the first week of the season! There was nowhere to hide, as the least productive Monster still got on base four times, and the team as a whole nocked 60 hits, including 48 singles paired with 46 stolen bases. By comparison, no player on the Monsters even came up to bat four times! Stan Olafson and Stuart Sullivan headlined their effort with 3-for-3 days, but they couldn’t put much together on the whole. Dueling shutouts by Jody Palmer and Chris Milton provided the only similarity between the two teams’ performances.

Player of the game: Three Monsters went a ridiculous 9-for-9 on the game, but of the three Wally Evans far outpaced the others with 13 RBI on seven singles, a triple, and a home run, scoring six runs of his own as well.

Tapirs 12, Yankees 9

The Tapirs talked a small game before the season, but failed to live down to that in their initial outing, scoring 12 runs on 20 hits to win the contest. Only Gail Weinmann failed to get a hit, as five players on the team recorded 3 or more, that steady stream making up for the eight runners left on base. The Yankees were more efficient in their game, with only four runners left on, but got seven less hits overall and weren’t quite able to catch up. Still, it was a solid outing for them, especially Ray Tran who opened the season with a 3-for-3 day.

Player of the game: Derek McCattery was the most reliable hitter on the Tapirs, going 4-for-4 with 4 singles and scoring three times.

Marlins 7, Angels 7

The Angels were off and swinging on Opening Day, racking up 20 hits and drawing a walk to get 21 batters on base. Tony Delvecchio and Tonya Lesco especially shined, getting on base in every single at-bat. But the Angels had trouble converting all those hits into runs, leaving 14 runners on base for the game as they could rarely get better than singles. That opened up the door for the French fish, who got only 12 hits on the game, but were able to convert them to runs at a better rate thanks to a quartet of homes runs by Deschenes, Goodreau, Raquel, and Yvonne. The home team multiplier made all the difference in the closest game of Opening Week, boosting the Marlins’ 6-0 final score into 7-0 and giving them the win via tiebreaker.

Player of the Game: Stat-wise, there wasn’t much to differentiate the four Marlins who went yard, so the distinction goes to the one with the most total bases: Henri Deschenes, who also hit a double as he went 2-for-3 on the day.

Bombers 5, Mariners 4

Two teams built for defense struggled to get many hits against each other in this matchup. For most of the game, the Mariners did better, snagging extra bases on most of the hits that they did get and scoring 5 runs, boosted to 6 thanks to the multipler, while the Bombers got only a smattering of singles and couldn’t score, their game sent into extra innings. But the Bombers woke up in the seventh inning, putting together a clutch five-run rally to get right back into the thick of things. A two-run AI home run given up by Dominic Hoskins was the nail in the coffin, pushing the Mariners back just enough to give the victory to the Bombers in a true nail-biter.

Player of the game: Jillian Paine was not just the only Bomber to never record an out, going 3-for-3 with three singles – she also kicked off the team’s late rally, scoring the first of those five runs.

A’s 27, Red Sox 21

Two of the top four teams from last season were at it again, and put up a slugfest for the rest of the league to watch. Each Red Sox player put up 2-4 hits in their slugfest, with five of those as home runs to keep the momentum up. Parker Collum alone hit three home runs on a 4-for-4, 6 RBI game. But the A’s went even harder, with only a single player getting less than three hits, two getting more than four, and a total of twelve home runs to supercharge their effort. A series of powerups gave an extra boost to seal a strong victory even against Boston’s powerful performance.

Player of the game: Nomar Garciaparra went 5-for-6 with a double and four home runs, batting in a full third of the A’s runs at 9.

Blue Jays 10, Orioles 5

A team built to rely on the long ball, the Orioles weren’t able to deliver much in their initial contest. Ken Griffey, Jr. hit two home runs to help the team’s effort, but nobody else was ever able to record better than a single, which bogged the O’s down at Sandy Flats. The Blue Jays recorded the exact same number of hits and two less walks on the game, but with more extra-base hits and a few stolen bases used them more efficiently to rack up several more runs and take the win. Betty Houston also pitched the season’s first perfect game for an auspicious start for the Jays.

Player of the game: While honorable mention goes to Jason Kendall, it was Rafael Hendrix who really seemed to be the backbone of the Jays’ efforts and made the bottom half of their lineup count. He went 3-for-3 with a triple, two home runs, and five RBI, scoring three runs of his own.

Tigers 13, Pirates 6

Both teams in this contest actually got almost an identical number of runners on base – 20 for the Pirates vs. 21 for the Tigers. But the Tigers were far more efficient with their hits, scoring double the runs and not seeming to mind the Pirates’ defense one bit. Hitting five home runs helped their case, as did the Pirates’ Karen Donato as a mediocre catcher who allowed six stolen bases. It was a good day for hitting, as every player on both teams recorded at least one hit and only four total got a single hit. Not such a good day for pitching, though, as the teams’ pitchers combined allowed four runs and struck out just six batters total.

Player of the game: Just a slightly more impressive statline than several of her teammates, but Sonja Hagen went 3-for-4 with two singles, a home run, two runs scored, and three RBI.

Devil Rays 3, Cubs -1

Two Frontyard League teams were getting warmed up for the new season, and weren’t at their best yet for the opening matchup. The Cubs did pretty well on offense, each player getting at least one hit and Jimmy Rollins leading the team with three singles, but Kenny Kawaguchi struggled to anchor effectively on the mound and gave up six runs to give them a loss in their own game. By contrast, the Devil Rays had a quiet, unremarkable game on offense with, but Ryan Vanderhoek pitched a shutout to give them the edge they needed to collect the win.

Player of the game: Leah Wayne led the Devil Rays yet again, going 3-for-4 with a single, triple, and solo home run.

Wombats 17, Melonheads 15

The first Super-Duper matchup belonged decisively to the Wombats, who came out of the gate strong and quickly built up a good lead. Each Wombat got on base at least twice during the game, with 27 hits and one walk total, leaving the result a foregone conclusion before long. They faltered later on, scoring only one run in the last two innings combined, but by then the damage was done, and even a powerup-fueled rally wasn’t enough for the Melonheads to make up the difference. As for the Melonheads, their early lineup hit well, but their last three hitters going just 1-for-8 plus two walks meant that they couldn’t keep up. One bright spot for them: Maria Luna was one of only two pitchers in the league to face the minimum number of batters this week.

Player of the game: Claudia Villatra was a monster at the plate, going 4-for-5 with a single, three homes runs, and a whopping 9 RBI that eclipsed the rest of the team combined.

Indians 25, Rockies 2

Full stats aren’t available for the Rockies’ side of this contest, but their score alone makes it clear that the Indians’ defense defused their group of hitters, leaving them struggling to score at all. Meanwhile, crazyei8hts picked up right where he left off last season, with another dominant performance the likes of which most coaches can only dream of. Each player got at least two hits, and four walks given up by the Rockies only helped their efforts. While the Indians didn’t do the most slugging this week, they still eclipsed most of the rest of the league with eight home runs, further boosting their score. Frank Thomas also pitched one of the best games of Opening Week, tying for the most strikeouts at 10 while giving up just two hits in a shutout effort.

Player of the game: Cheryl Reynolds gets the nod here, going 4-for-5 with two singles, two home runs, and six RBI.

Cardinals 2, Braves 1

The Cardinals’ first game was a rather quiet one, with just eight hits on the game, four players going hitless, and Mr. Clanky striking out 10 Braves en route to a shutout. They made a much bigger splash on the Braves’ side, pummeling Randy Johnson for fifteen hits and six runs and putting Atlanta in grave danger of losing to the AI. The Braves’ top four hitters went 11-for-15 on the game, but their bottom five went just 3-for-15, interrupting their rallies and setting them behind going into the bottom of the sixth. Lance Lambert saved the Braves’ game with a walk-off three-run shot, and normally their 7-6 final score would, with the multiplier, be good enough for the win. But since they did bat in the sixth inning, the multiplier was not applied, giving the Cardinals the win in a twist ending to cap off Opening Week.

Player of the game: 3-for-3 with a double and two solo shots, Marsellus Marx was the Cardinals’ offense in this matchup and took them to a win all on his own.

[Season 6] Week One Predictions

Posted on by Eauxps I. Fourgott

Athletics over Red Sox. Reports indicate that gmchappe hasn’t gotten back into the swing of things yet, but Nick Foles has. His team will be more on the A-game for Opening Week.

Monsters over Diamondbacks. The Monsters look set to dominate the division, and it’ll start with an extra away game at a pavement park.

Pirates over Tigers. It’ll take a couple of weeks for the Tigers’ offense to get warmed up, but the Pirates’ staunch defense won’t do them any favors in that department.

Indians over Rockies. In a battle between two big offenses, the Indians’ home-park advantage should see them through.

Orioles over Blue Jays. Mavfatha should have the advantage in this early contest, as K13S adjusts to the new ruleset and the O’s bats should work better in the Flats.

Melonheads over Wombats. The first Super-Duper matchup could be seen as favoring the Wombats, but they’ll have to grapple with the Melonheads’ defense first and Eauxps boasts a 5-1 Opening Week record.

Angels over Marlins. The Marlins will still be figuring out how to work effectively, and the Angels’ defense won’t be very friendly towards that goal.

Cardinals over Braves. The Cards have an ability to move that the Braves simply do not, and that should swing this matchup in their favor. Marx as catcher won’t do much for Atlanta’s slow squad.

Mariners over Bombers. The two teams are very similarly built, but the Mariners look slightly stronger to give them the edge in their initial contest.

Yankees over Tapirs. The Yankees’ defense should be enough to hold the Tapirs’ weak hitters back, and their stronger bats are a much more reliable source of runs at the Casa.

Giants over Expos. It’s a tough call between two teams that don’t really have a super strength, but the Giants have home-field advantage and a stronger set of hitters.

Cubs over Devil Rays. The Cubs’ big bats are the perfect counter to the Rays’ killer infield, and the Rays may not perform as well away from their home field.

[Season 6] Division Previews: NL West

Posted on by Eauxps I. Fourgott

The NL West is the division where the least is known about the coaches’ skill levels. Only one has any previous BBL experience, the others are blank slates, and it will be interesting to see what effect that has on the division’s competition. It also means that the team rosters are, more or less, the only indication we have for how well these teams will perform during the season.

Montreal Expos

Coach Profile: Jarod Johnson is new to the BBL in Season 6.

Team Analysis: This season, it was Jarod who paid a premium price to move up in the early rounds, and was left near the end of the draft with a lot of picks and a slim player pool. As a result, the Expos don’t truly stand out in any one category – but it could be a lot worse for them. On offense, they mostly have a nice distinction between players that don’t hit so well but are fairly fast, and players who are slow but can hit the ball far. It’s a less specifically focused offense than many in the league, but that setup can work if the faster kids can get on base and the power hitters can deliver well. On the other hand, Diana Hayes and Billy Jean Blackwood are going to struggle to fit in well to the offense, with mediocre speed and bats. Indeed, on the whole, this team feels like it’s pretty light on hitting, and the power hitters will really need to work hard to compensate for the lack of batting ability on the rest of the team.

On defense, the team is once again decent. Only three defenders have weak arms, and one of them is on first base where it shouldn’t matter as much. The outfield has weaker arms but good mobility to compensate, and Mike Piazza is a decent if not outstanding catcher. There’s plenty of pitching depth on the team as well. But that corner of the infield between pitcher, catcher, and first base has nobody remotely fast to cover it, and the outfield’s relatively weak arms could come back to bite the team and give up extra bases. And who knows what will happen to the defense once Angela Delvecchio is forced off the mound to defend elsewhere on the field? Finally, while the arms on the team are decent, only three players have a fielding rating higher than 4. That indicates that errors could be a critical problem for this team, and the straw that breaks the camel’s back.

Prediction: Fourth place. There just isn’t any particular category where the Expos excel and can get a true edge over their opponents.

Players to watch: The league was taken by surprise when Angela Delvecchio was picked #1 overall in the draft this season. Will her home run power and ace-level pitching come through and justify that pick, or will she choke under the immense pressure that’s been placed on her?

Crazy Cubs

Coach Profile: MarcoMcGwire is new to the BBL in Season 6.

Team Analysis: This team is very clearly built with offense in mind. Six out of the nine players have batting ratings of 8 or better, and only Kenny Kawaguchi has a rating below 6. Running is also strong, as six out of nine players are rated at 8 speed or better, making the presence of three slower players less of an issue. With the possible exception of Samantha Winslow, each player on the team is either relatively fast, can hit the ball far, or both. This is an offense well-built to get the job done, get lots of big hits, and keep running around the basepaths.

As a direct consequence, though, this team has one of the weakest-looking defenses in the league, simply by virtue of being unremarkable. Most of the defense is just average, not a specific weakness – the majority of kids on the team have an average arm rating of 3, with only three players being stronger. Those decent arms and the team’s solid speed will keep the team rolling and prevent it from completely crumpling, but after facing the tougher defenses that most of the league boasts, adversaries might find this one a breath of fresh air by comparison, and really beat up on it. That problem is exacerbated by the presence of a very weak catcher in Alexis Weis. And while the team does have three different pitchers with a rating of 7, the fact that there are no aces calls their true pitching depth into question, and those pitchers could fall quickly once the pressure is turned on.

Prediction: First place. Defense isn’t everything, and the Cubs’ unparalleled offense should carry the day.

Players to watch: Alexis Weis will need to accomplish a lot at the plate in order to make up for her weakness behind it, and the Cubs will be looking for her to put up big numbers. Samantha Winslow is also the one player who potentially doesn’t fit into the offense – but if she’s able to keep her statline up with the rest of the team, the Cubs could really be going places.

New York Giants

Coach Profile: jmacdrums is new to the BBL in Season 6.

Team Analysis: This comes off as a team with less of a clear focus than many, but the most consistent stat on the team is hitting. Every player on the team has a batting rating of at least 5, and six have a 7 or better in the stat. But just how much those stats mean is in question – despite batting ratings of 10, Maya Woodruff and Lorelei Ikaye haven’t built a reputation as star sluggers, and it’s unclear just how hard this team will be hitting the ball or how much those hitters will be able to drive in.

In other aspects, the team has a spotty set of ratings. The top of the roster has good speed, three speedsters and five players with running of 7 or better, but a 3, 4, and 5 in running round out the roster to be potential concerns. On defense, only four players grade out with fielding of 7 or better, and while there are some strong arms and Marilyn McDonnell will prove a thorn in the side of any offense, only four players have arms stronger than average, and two have weak arms. That particular weakness could be compounded by the fact that the team plays at Dirt Yards, and so throws that don’t make it to a fielder are in danger of bouncing away and opening up new opportunities for the offense. On the other hand, a mobile outfield with decent arms will help reign opposing teams in, and McDonnell could more than earn her keep by playing cutoff to throws coming from there. Pitching could also become a concern, as the Giants have two strong pitchers but nobody beyond that. On the whole, this team doesn’t have any giant weaknesses – but it doesn’t have any giant strengths, either.

Prediction: Third place. I’m not seeing the extra ingredient for success, and home games could be a real problem for their defense.

Players to watch: Luanne Lui will be pitching for once this season, and is expected to become a strikeout machine. Maya Woodruff has also stood out in preseason scrimmage games as a strong contributor, and if she does prove to be a good foundation for this team, then their stock could rise considerably. Meanwhile, Robby Bocko has potential, but it hasn’t come out yet in practice. The team will be hoping for him to really rise up and assert himself as a player during the season.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays

Coach Profile: T-Boz first played in Season 5, where the Devil Rays had an unremarkable season. He’s hoping to really make his mark this time around.

Team Analysis: A lot of strong arms are to be found on this team – six out of nine players have arms rated 4 or 5. This is especially expected to be a murderous infield, with all positions except pitcher boasting such an arm. Weak hits will receive no mercy at the hands of the Devil Rays. The outfield could be a bit more concerning, as both the left and right fielders have weaker-than-average arms, and it will fall to Ronny Dobbs to hold that part together. Stronger hits could give the Rays a lot of trouble, and their catcher, Chucky Flinder, is mediocre for the job, although he’ll perform better at the Paveway then he will during away games. The team’s actual fielding ratings are also rather low, with only three above 5 and only one above 7. If errors become a big issue because of this, that will be another source of grief for the Rays. On the plus side, they have fantastic pitching depth and should have no trouble at all in that respect.

At the plate, this team should also be solid. Five players have batting ratings of 7 or higher and Holly Franklin is a strong 5, and with several legitimate power bats in there, they should be in decent shape. That’ll be helped by their lack of really slow players – while their three players of running 6 is somewhat concerning, there’s only one player slower than them. Without major slowpokes and playing at a fast field, the basepaths shouldn’t get too clogged and the fielders will have good range. The Devil Rays’ offense won’t be best in its class, but with only two really problematic hitters, it should be able to regularly get the job done.

Prediction: Second place. Their dynamite infield and lack of major weaknesses should make them a good but not top-tier team.

Players to watch: Leah Wayne and Ronny Dobbs were the two most valuable players on the Rays last season, and thus their first two picks this time around. They’ll be expected to put forth strong performances again to lead the team, and if they don’t then the Rays might flounder.

[Season 6] Division Previews: NL Central

Posted on by Eauxps I. Fourgott

The most experienced division in the Frontyard League, the NL Central contains three coaches who played in part or all of last season, and clearly applied lessons learned there to this season’s draft. Between their strong defenses drafted and the presence of the two sandy fields, this promises to be an inhospitable division for other teams – and perhaps also for the lone newbie coach in the division.

Seattle Mariners

Coach Profile: elchrisblanco joined the league midway through Season Five, taking over a struggling team whose owner had left. While the team continued to struggle during the regular season, they picked up in the consolation playoffs to win the Tier 3 championship, and now with a team that he drafted himself, Chris will be looking to build off of that success.

Team Analysis: The Mariners are yet another team built for defense. Only two players have fielding ratings of less than 7, and everybody on the team has at least an average arm, with 6 of 9 having strong-rated arms. Some significant placements, such as 5-rated arm Tina Herrara behind the plate and Ichiro clone Susan Gore covering shortstop, increase the danger level of the team, and they have plenty of pitching depth as well, with ace Christina Beattie as the first line of defense once starter Dominic Hoskins has been worked through. This will be an intimidating team to hit against.

Unfortunately, this comes at the cost of the Mariners not having a particularly impressive offense. The batting ratings are decent, six team members having a 7 or better, but Davy Marian is the only hitter with a rating above 8, the team appears to have a lack of bona fide sluggers when you look at the names of the hitters, and three weak hitters round out the roster. Running is also a concern – five players on the team have decent speed, but four other players are slow with running ratings of 4 or 5. That could really hinder the team’s ability to put rallies together, and those slow players being clustered in the infield, with Gore as the only fast fielder there, could be a critical weakness in an otherwise fantastic defense.

Prediction: First place. In a division without a lot of hitting power, the Mariners’ top defense should give them the edge.

Players to watch: As the strongest hitter on the team and a solid fielder, Davy Marian is expected to contribute the most to their success. Susan Gore shouldn’t be far behind, and it will especially be interesting to see if her playing shortstop will be as devastating in practice as it is in theory. And Sally Dobbs also bears watching, as one of the few true sluggers on the team and a solid all-around player.

Baltimore Bombers

Coach Profile: jlund24 joined the league midway through Season 5, and had his share of struggles while leading a gimmicky team that had been drafted by a league veteran. Now with the freedom to choose his own team, he’s hoping to make a statement in his first full season.

Team Analysis: Following the pattern that’s been established for the Frontyard League, the Bombers are another defense-first team. Everybody on the team has a fielding rating of 6 or better, and five strong arms spread across the field, including at third base, shortstop, and second base, will help rally the balls around quickly and defend especially well against ground balls. They also secured a strong catcher in Greg Vaughn. The right side of the field is a bit more suspect, though, with two weak arms and a pair of slow, relatively weak-armed outfielders offering a potential opening for opposing offenses to break through. Pitching depth is also a concern, with two 7-rated pitchers the best that the team has to offer, one player rated at 6 in pitching, and the rest all weaker. It’s not a line that will crumble instantly, but it is a weak point, and if opposing teams get going against this defense, the Bombers could have a tough time reeling them in.

Their offense is a similar story to that of the Mariners, with six hitters with a rating of 7 or better, rounded out by three relatively weak hitters. The Bombers have an advantage in that a boosted Ernie Steele will be a better contributor during home games, but they do have the same issue where, looking down the list of hitters, there is a lack of true sluggers, and it’s uncertain how much the hitter’s park of Steele Stadium will help with that. Still, a lot of good outfield hits are perfectly attainable with this team. But those could be of limited use – speed is a very real issue for this team. Six out of nine players have running ratings of 6 or less, and while that will only be five players during home games, it’s still going to make extra bases that much harder to achieve, and constitutes another weakness for the right half of the field on defense. This team is intimidating at first glance and won’t be total pushovers, but there are enough warning signs to seriously take their chances into question.

Prediction: Third place. This should be a competitive division, but the weaknesses of this team are ones that others in the division should be able to take advantage of, putting the Bombers back slightly.

Players to watch: The Bombers were largely built around Ernie Steele, both for his presence on the mound and his boosts from their home park, and they’ll be relying on him to deliver on those. Meanwhile, as the weakest link on the defense, Peggy Heffernan will need to lead the way with her bat in order to make up for it and give the team success. And Jillian Paine at first base will be a crucial part of the team’s defense, while seeking to eke out a true spot for herself on the offense after several lackluster seasons in that regard.

New York Yankees

Coach Profile: As a new coach in Season 5, Marco got everybody’s attention by trading up to secure three Round 1 picks, but paid a premium price for those and struggled through the season as a result. This season he clearly learned a lot about savvy trading, and is hoping to leverage that to have a more successful year.

Team Analysis: This team is more clearly built for offense than many in the Frontyard League. Six out of nine players have batting ratings of 8 or higher, and the lowest rating on the team is a 6. There are quite a few home run hitters on the team, and almost everybody should be able to get solid outfield hits at worst. Speed is somewhat of a concern, with four players of speed 6 or lower and only one truly fast player. Especially at the inhospitable Casa, the team won’t get around the basepaths very quickly, but there are slower teams in the league, and the strong hitting across the board and good number of decent runners should help to cover for the weakness.

Defense is more of a concern for this team. While pitching depth is good, four strong arms are scattered across the field, and Kay O’Toole could be a devastating catcher, this also looks to be the most vulnerable defense in the league, with four different players’ arms rating below the average mark. Especially with weak arms for Arlene Perez and Ray Tran in left and center field, that could be a major weakness for the team, and once Bobby Bulgrien is taken from the mound, he’ll be another big defensive liability wherever he ends up. The sands of Casa could also work against the Yankees here, causing the slower defenders to take that much longer to get to the ball, allowing easy bases for fast baserunners. While this defense is a vast improvement over their S5 field, it still doesn’t look to be one of the stronger ones, especially in a league where many coaches pushed defense specifically.

The Yankees also made an interesting trade after the draft, sending faster players Wing Kwan and Sheila Basante away to pick up Perez and Tran, and more importantly move O’Toole to the catcher’s position. While this is a definite improvement of catchers, and O’Toole won’t surrender the steals of second base that Basante may well have, the rest of the defense suffered for it, as Perez and Tran are both slower than Kwan and Basante and have weaker arms, and the outfield in particular is now worse than it was before. With a weak bat, Perez is also a downgrade on offense, although Tran at least has a stronger bat and could drive more runs in to compensate for his slightly lower speed. It remains to be seen whether this trade was a brilliant move or one that hurts the Yankees overall, but my preseason opinion is that it did more harm than good.

Prediction: Second place. Their hitting is head and shoulders above that of the other teams in the division, and – to a certain degree – will make up for their inferior defense.

Players to watch: As the team’s first pick, Wendy Parsons will have the greatest expectations to fulfill and prove that she was the right choice. As previously mentioned, Kay O’Toole has the potential to be devastating behind the plate – and she’ll need to be in order to justify the measures that were taken to get her there. And on a team that last season was home to the Ace Wilson winner, Bobby Bulgrien will be under a lot of pressure to fill her shoes.

Albuquerque Tapirs

Coach Profile: JorgesBankAccount is new to the BBL this season.

Team Analysis: Especially in contrast to the other teams in their division, the Tapirs have a clear strength in solid speed. While only two true speedsters are on the team, all but one of the players have an average speed rating of 7 or better. Especially given the weakness in this department that their division rivals have, the Tapirs will be unparalleled in both baserunning and efficiently moving around the field.

That’s their biggest strength, though. Defense is solid, as only two players have fielding below 7, five players have arms rated as above average, and the team’s speed will help them out. But with three weaker arms also on the team and a mediocre catcher, there are also definite holes that opponents will be able to take advantage of. Pitching depth is also an interesting point. There are two strong pitchers with a rating of 9, but a lone 6 is the next best, so if the two strong pitchers fail, then there won’t be much holding the team up, and their defense could crumble quickly.

But the biggest warning sign is the Tapirs’ lack of hitting ability. Only three players on the team have batting ratings of higher than 6, and while there are a lot of 6-rated bats on the team, they seem to be ones with relatively low power. Nobody on the team is a great home run hitter, and the large number of weak hitters combined with a lack of exceptional speed is going to give the team a lot of trouble stringing together many hits. Especially with the strong defenses that fill the NL, this could be a critical Achilles’ heel for Albuquerque.

Prediction: Fourth place. The weak hitting just doesn’t give the team enough scoring power to overcome the others.

Players to watch: As the final player picked in the Season 6 draft, Angelique Harding will be hoping to prove herself with a strong season on the mound. Gwen Sears and Barry Bonds were last-minute additions to the team in a blockbuster trade deal that sent away Jay Green – how well will they fit into their new team, and will they be able to compensate for his absence?

[Season 6] Division Previews: National League East

Posted on by Eauxps I. Fourgott

This season of the BBL, for the first time, the league was separated into two halves, based on the experience levels of the coaches. The National League is also dubbed the Frontyard League, and contains all of the coaches that are new this season or have only played a single season or less in the BBL. This division will allow these newer coaches to experience the league and have fun competing, without the threat of being steamrolled by the league’s top veterans along the way.

Since many coaches in the Frontyard League are new, we’re not sure what to expect from them yet. This is also true for the East division, which contains two completely new coaches, one of the least experienced returnees, and the league’s only long-term veteran who has drafted a wacky team to play with. But another thing that’s true about the East division – it has the scariest set of pitchers in the entire league.

Anaheim Angels

Coach Profile: takenotes011 is new to the BBL this season.

Team Analysis: This is definitely and obviously a team drafted for defense. Every player on the team has a fielding rating of 6 or higher, and all but two players have strong arms rated at 4 or 5. Troy Glaus and Annie Frazier’s comparatively weak arms could be soft spots in the defense, but they’re close enough to stronger arms and can get to the ball quickly so that even those aren’t likely to be reliable weaknesses. The Angels also have a rocket arm behind the plate in Chipper Jones, and one of the most fearsome pitchers covering the mound in Julie Dunkel, which will leave no room for dinky groundballs to hide. The pitching depth also appears to be sufficient. This defense will be a tough nut to crack.

The Angels also have good hitting, however. Only two players on the team have batting ratings of lower than 7, and even if Annie Frazier’s 9 is inflated above what people would expect, she still has enough speed to be solid on offense. Overall, the team seems to have the bats it takes to get a lot of solid hits and singles, with a couple of bigger hitters in there as well to drive in the runs. The one concern is the slower members of the team – one 6 in running, two 5s, and, most concerningly, a 1 could cause some problems, clogging up the basepaths on offense and providing a weaker right side of the field on defense that could let more balls get through. But even if those slow players do prove a problem, the top of the lineup should be able to drive in a decent number of runs, and the defense remains a formidable one to try to get past. This will not be a fun team to play against.

Prediction: First place. takenotes has drafted a stellar squad that should shut down its opponents enough to give him an easy time winning.

Players to watch: Chipper Jones and Julie Dunkel are the extra ingredient to make this a truly fearsome defense, and it’s worth watching to see if they are able to live up to this potential. And Season 4 Ace Wilson Chad Koppel didn’t get the chance to pitch at all last season – will he get that chance this time, and if so, will he shine again?

St. Louis Cardinals

Coach Profile: shrewsbury91 is new to the BBL this season.

Team Analysis: This team doesn’t appear to be too different in focus from the Angels, although the teams do differ in the details. But the Cardinals also have a clear focus on defense and on batting. This team doesn’t have as many specifically strong arms as the Angels, with only five players with higher-rated arms, but it also doesn’t have any arms that are rated as weaker than the average. They have a mobile outfield that will also relay the ball in quickly, and basic scouting reports have confirmed that this team will move the ball around the field quickly and be hard to take extra bases from. One potential cause for concern is present, with the famously weak Marsellus Marx behind the plate – but if opponents are successful at scoring off this team, Marx is likely to take the mound, thereby moving Mr. Clanky to the catcher’s position and solving that problem with a strong arm that will never tire.

A strong focus on hitting is also clear in this team composition – seven out of nine players have bats rated as 8 or better, and one of the remainders is Ingrid Dahlman’s strong 5. Tracy Hoban appears to be the only potentially weak hitter in this lineup, and they’ll be able to send a lot of balls going far, especially with the Paveway’s surface serving to keep balls bouncing on and on. The biggest concern on this team is that they’re fairly slow. Only Marx has a running rating greater than 7, and five players have ratings of 6 or lower, including a 4 and a 2 at the bottom of that spectrum. That could result in the Cards struggling to take extra bases on their own, and somewhat weaken an otherwise solid defense, and definitely puts a question mark on their chances of competing.

The other concern is this team’s lack of pitching depth. Of course, the pitching robot Mr. Clanky is all that a human player needs to get the job done, but the computer team WILL sub him out once a player has scored enough runs against him, and there are no other strong pitchers on the Cardinals – Marx’s 6 rating is the next best, and the rest of the team is even worse. If opposing coaches can get past the initial line of defense and remove Clanky from the mound, there might be little to stop them from wearing the entire team down.

Prediction: Second place. There’s some causes for concern, but this is a solid squad that should be able to get the job done regularly.

Players to watch: As that initial line of defense, Clanky’s pitching will prove critical in securing Cardinals victories, and if he’s quickly worked through then things won’t be looking good for the team. On the flip side, Marsellus Marx’s home run bat and fast speed form the foundation for this team’s offense. If he underperforms, the Cards may struggle to win games.

Atlanta Braves

Coach Profile: Nodakkian is technically a BBL veteran, but only just barely, having played only a handful of games at the end of last season as a sub for a coach that dropped out. This will be his first time playing with a team that he drafted himself.

Team Analysis: There are slow teams, and there are painfully slow teams. And then there are this season’s Braves. Kristen Sullivan at 7 speed stands alone as the team’s fastest player. Zenon Estrada at 6 speed stands alone as the second-fastest. Everybody else on the team has a running rating of 5 or less, and that’s going to spell major trouble for this team. They’re going to take a long time to get anywhere, and that will result in extra bases for the opposition while their fielders try to get to the ball, and few bases for the Braves themselves as their opponents will frequently get the ball in before they can round first base. Speed is the most important skill in the game due to its dual utility in both offense and defense, and a team this sorely lacking in it could have a rough season indeed.

But all is not quite as hopeless for that team as it would initially appear, as they do have strengths in other categories. This team is laden with strong throwing arms, with five having the maximum rating of 5 and two more with a strong rating of 4. It may take a while for the Braves’ fielders to get to the ball, but once they do, they’ll have it moving to other fielders in short order. Strong hits by opposing batters can get them a couple of bases, but a team looking to this as a complete joke of a defense will be in for an unpleasant surprise. One of those 5 arms is also behind the plate, giving this team a strong catcher, and their pitching depth is fantastic, with two aces and three other solid pitchers ensuring that this will never be a problem for the team.

At the plate, this team will be looking to its sluggers to survive. Five players have batting ratings of 7 or higher, and the Braves will need those hitters to rack up the home runs if they’re to put up decent scores. When weaker hitters like Sullivan, Chandler Huggins, or Todd Xavier come up to the plate, this team won’t be accomplishing much, so it will be the efforts of home run hitters like Estrada or Mikey Thomas that determine whether this team sinks or swims.

Prediction: Fourth place. Their arms will stymie opponents enough to win a couple of games, but I think the slow, slow running will stifle their offense too much for them to be competitive.

Players to watch: Randy Johnson just may be this team’s salvation, and if the legendary ace can avoid giving good pitches to opposing hitters, the Braves may be able to keep offenses down and open up the door to victory. Meanwhile, Zenon Estrada is projected to be the team’s top slugger, and how well he does could indicate whether or not this team is able to stay competitive.

Montreal Marlins

Coach Profile: Jibbodahibbo is the only long-term veteran in the Frontyard League. Joining the league back in Season 3, he had a lackluster first season, before improving massively in Season 4, steamrolling his division and making it all the way to the Backyard World Series, where he finished as runner-up. He was less successful in Season 5, finishing the season with a 7-7 record, and this season committed to drafting a gimmicky team due to being placed in the Frontyard league.

Team Analysis: The Marlins are undoubtedly the most French team in the league. But with the drafting focus going largely to their names, how good are they at playing baseball? Much of the remaining focus in drafting the Marlins seems to have gone towards keeping them running on defense. Only one player has a below-average rated arm, with five of the nine players having a 4 or 5 arm rating. The fielding ratings are a bit more spotty, with none above 8 and four below 7, and even with the arms the defense appears to be a bit of a patchwork effort, but it also isn’t a complete pushover. A particular strength to the defense is the presence of Henri Deschenes on the mound – one of the most feared defensive pitchers, he will ably cover the entire infield while on the mound and give opposing players headaches, and the Marlins have good pitching depth behind him. On the other hand, while she has a decent arm, Esther French is a sub-par catcher compared to many in the league, and once Deschenes leaves the mound, the infield could weaken considerably.

Like others in the division, the Marlins’ offense is primarily based on batting – six hitters on the team have batting ratings of 7 or above, and home games will boost that number to seven. Even when accounting for Eric Lebeaux’s famously low-power hitting, this team should get in its share of strong hits. The problem is that, once again, there’s a lack of much speed on the team – lightning-fast Deschenes is the only really fast player on the team, and on road games where Dubois isn’t boosted, six out of nine players will have running ratings below 7. That will be a significant damper on the team’s offense, especially in a division where strong defenses are the order of the day, and also weaken their defense further by letting more balls get by. On the whole, the Marlins appear to be a team without a strong focus – except for the French names.

Prediction: Third place. Jibbo has the advantage of experience, and Deschenes on the mound can win games by himself, but it will be an uphill battle for the Marlins all the way.

Players to watch: The performance of the team’s mid-range hitters – Anna Goodreau, Raquel Cullen, and Perry Marx – will be critical to the team’s success. They’ll need to put up a lot of deep hits or home runs if the team’s to survive.